We hit the open road to hear tales of adventure and woe from honky-tonkers and hobos, train-hoppers and busking bohemians. En route we talk with Washington folk singer Brandi Carlile, who dropped out of high school to cut it as a touring musician, and New Orleans’ Meschiya Lake, about her journey from circus performer to jazz chanteuse. Driving on in search of mythic America, we hear the voices of its discontents: Woody Guthrie, the Flying Burrito Brothers, Wilco and Pops Staples. Plus, we “Ramble On” with Lucinda Williams before coming down with a case of “Travelin’ Blues” from Jimmie Rodgers. By planes, trains and automobiles, we journey across our country’s musical landscape with stories from the road.

CRESCENT CITY JAM SESSIONS

May 27th, 2015

American Routes samples the best live music collaborations from the 2011 Jazz Fest season in New Orleans. Each year, music from the festival at the fairgrounds spills over into the streets and clubs of our city. We’ll camp out at Preservation Hall for an evening of jazz and country with the Preservation Hall Jazz Band and Nashville song man Buddy Miller, with special guest Robert Plant. Then we’ll catch the Hot 8 Brass Band and Mos Def at the Howlin’ Wolf across town. Plus more musical surprises.